Machine for seeding raisins.



PATENT@ JUNBZ, 19.0.3.. I

J.-B. CROSBY. n .MACHINE POR SEEDING RAIsINs.-

APPLIUvATION FILED 00Tg30, 1901.

@SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4N0 MODEL.-

Patented June 2, 1903;

PATENT Clerici-'3.A

JOSEPH B. CROSBY, OF DUXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HERSEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CORPORATION OFMAINE. Y

lSoU'rI-I ioST'oiv, MASSACHUSETTS, A

Y. MACHINE FOR SEEDING RAlslNs.

SPECIFICATION-forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,551, dated June 2, 1903 f Ap'plimiou meaomber so, 1901. Serial No. 80,564. No modem .T all whqrtltfinyconcern: n i

Be it known' that I, JOSEPHB. CROSBY, a citizen of the United States, residingat'Dux-g bury, in the'co'unty of Plymouth and'State of` Massachusetts,'have invented fc'rtain new",

and useful Improvements'in Machines 'forf which 'thefollowi'ngis Seeding Raisins, of specification.

This invention relates to machines for seedzo ing raisins an'djis an improvement on the machine for WhiclfLetters' Patent No. 56,721 were granted to me on J'ulyil, 1866.

The inventinconsists of Vvcertain improved" details of construction, 'cdnbinatiom and arrangementof parts, wherebythe operation ofl removing the seeds from' the pulp'ofthe' fruitf is facilitated and whereby 'the repair of the pin-cylinder, when damaged by the accidental presence with the raisinsof stones orpother 2o hard materiaLcan be eiected ata minimum of expenditure lofltilme and-money. f

.The invention will be fullydescribed inafter, referen'cefbeing had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective view of 'araisiniseeding machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section." Figi 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a view of the doctor for removing the seeds from the pin-cylinder, and Fig. 5 is a view of an atomizer for moistening the parts of the machine.

By preference the frame consists of castiron sides A, held rigidly by boltsvA, pass-` ing through pipes A2, so that the machine. is

self-contained. I prefer to make `the bear.

ings for the pin-cylinder B a fixed part of the the rotative parts adjustable.

frame and to make all the other bearings of o is the Cylinder with aneia'stic'f'yieidtg 4o peripheral'surfacem, preferably of rubber,

and the cylinder C is provided with means for accurate and minutefadjustment of the surfaced to the projecting ends of the pins b, fixed in cylinder B in rows which are both in planes parallel to the axis of cylinder B and in planes which are at right angles to said axis. The pins are so spaced as not to admit between them seeds of rather less than the average size; but abortive seeds may enter here? orwill remainin the space between the pins' with the fruit-pulp. v

It is important that in thendeliveryof the raisins to the conjoined action thereon of the pin and elastic-'surfaced cylinders the raisins s hould'not'be 4superimposed on each other. Tofthisend'Iv make use of a'nendless carrying-beltD', preferably of rubber, the edges of the uppergply'of which ru'n in grooves in edgeguides and over a smooth surfaced plane, which prevents sag ofi/the upper ply of the belt, which passes over and is drawn by the drivenroller orpulleyH, the peripheral speed ofwhich should be considerably less than the peripheral speed of the acting end s of the lpins infth'e pin=cy1inderl, so that =the raisinsbeco'me loosely spaced suciently to leave room for the vspread of jthfe area'of 4thel'ruit under: the conjoineda'ction-oi` the -iiatteningroller F and the 'pin and elastic A.-frollers." 'Over theupper ply of the carrying-belt I arrange a rotating winged or paddle device E,

Awhich can be adjusted toward-orfroin the carrying-surface of the belt D andiwhich for the purposes of this specification I call the layer regulator. I prefer to make the wings or paddles e of rubber, so that the fruit vwill not be injured by the action, which is jrapid and in opposition to the carrying motion of the belt. The function of this device E is to permit but one layer of raisins to pass beneathit to the action of the flatteningroller F, which is made adjustable toward and from the belt D and its actuator H. The vfruit in passing between the roller F and the belt where it passes over the roll or pulley H Awill be expanded in area and be lessened in thickness and the seeds will be brought closer 4,to the skin. By lessening the thickness of 4the fruit the pins b may be less in length and :diameter than would be needed if the raisins 'passed to them in their natural state of plumpness. To prevent raisins fromy sticking to the spreading and liattening roller F, it is kept moist, and I make use of an adjustable scraper I, and to prevent adhesion of fruit to the belt D, I make use of a similar scraper d. A chute G receives the fruit and is arranged at-such an angle that the fruit gravitates upon the pins b, which carry it to the bite of the pins and the elastic cylinder, where the well-known operation of the extrusion of the seeds is effected, and the pulp is left in the spaces between the pins.

In my patent b efore referred to I made use for removal of the extruded seeds of a fixed stripper or doctor-plate made to be adjusted very closely to the pin ends. This doctorplate I have improved and rendered more efficient by serrating its acting edge and giving it very rapid short reciprocations by means of suitable mechanism. As the seeds are largely, when extruded, partially held in the clutch of adjoining pins, somewhat as a jewel is set in clamps byajeweler, the rough edge of the doctor-plate catches the seed and gives it a jar or loosening movement both in right and left directions, as well as in the direction given by the rotation of the pin-cylinder. This improvement results in lessening the ratio of broken seeds and of seeds not broken but forced back between the pins into the pulp and with it removed by the strippers.

The doctor-plate .I on account of the rapid though short reciprocating motion given it should be made as light as possible and of great stiffness to guard against its edge becoming forced into contact with the pins, which would result in extensive breakage, and means for minute and accurate adjustment must be used to keep the operative edge of the doctor in proper relation to the pin ends. In the drawings this plate J is shown as so fixed to the piece K that it can be removed and replaced. The piece K has rounded end portions which are journaled in each side of the frame, and may also move lengthwise therein. Outside of one of the frame sides a rocker-arm l is fixed to the journaled piece K and extends downward between ears fixed to the frame, and is subjected to the control of the adjusting-screws y, and by the adjustment of said screws the serrated edgej of the doctor-plate is set with reference to the ends of pins b, and the surf faces of the rocker-arm Zslide back 'and forth in short reciprocations against and between the ends of the adjusting-screws y. To give reciprocations to the doctor-plate, a collar m is fixed on the other end portion of piece K, inside the frame. This collar is provided with a stud carrying a roll n, which engages in the operative groeve 0 of the cam O, which may receive rotation from any convenient source. In some cases it may be found convenient to modify the means for adjusting and reciprocating the serrated edged doctorplate; but the means I have described are efficient.

It now remains to describe the improved stripper by which the impaled fruit is relnoved from the pins and gravitates into any suitable receptacle or preferably upon an endless carrying-belt, in which case opportunity is afforded for proper treatment looking toward prevention of sugaring of the seeded fruit.

lhe strippers P are made to fit easily between the pins in the spaces which extend around the cylinder. They are made in the form of a crescent, the inner edge of which fits the surface of the brass coating of the pin-cylinder. The outside of the stripper varies from crescent form by a circular extension 19, which seats and fits in a groove q in the ba:1 Q, which is fastened to the frame below the pin-cylinder. To hold the strippers to their work and at the same time have them easily removable for cleansing or exchange or other purpose, I secure to bar Q another bar R. When this bar is fixed against the circular extensions of the strippers, they are held; but when it is removed any one or all of the strippers can be taken from the machine, as desired.

At intervals during a day of operating and when the fruit-supply to the machine has been shut off and no fruit is left on the pins or elsewhere it is well to wash all parts with a solution of bicarbonate of soda to neutralize the acid of the fruit and to clear off particles of adhering skin and pulp. This bath should be succeeded by one of clear water unless the machine is to remain idle for some time. For cleaning the pin-cylinder I employ a rotary brush S, adjustable toward and from the pin-cylinder,and su rround the brush with a tank for holding the cleansing fluid.

Experience has shown that to produce the best results it is necessary to keep the parts of the machine which come into contact with the fruit moist with water. Heretofore the application of water has been crude, the methods employed giving too much or too little, and sometimes parts of the machine suffer from fiooding and others from drought. I have found that the suppl;7 of moisture needed is uniformly, easily, and economically effected by making use of atomizing apparatus in combination with any or all of the parts of a raisin-seeding-apparatus. I prefer to have the compressed-air supply and the water-supply proceed from sources outside of the seeder, which is best not encumbered with them; but the issuance nozzles from which the atomized water is delivered should be so many and so connected with the seeder and so directed 'that all parts needing mois- IIO ture will receive the atomized water to exof the doctor-plate. Each atomized delivery can be easily adjusted as to volume delivered and as to area and location of delivery. The important matter is to provide for more than enough atomization and then regulate so as to have no excess. Thus the fruit will show no excess of moisture and the machine will give better results. There are many good forms of atomizers between which there is little choice, and the employment of any of them in combination with a seeding mechanism I consider as embraced in this part of my invention.

In Fig. 1 I have shown one arrangement of atomizing device in which there is an aircompressor 10 in the form of a bellows operated by a rod 11 connected to a movable partof the machine. From this compressor a series of tubes 12 lead to the several atomizers. As shown in Fig. 4, the atomizer consists of two pipes 13 and 14, each with a perforated conical delivery end, and these pipes are held in proper relation to each other by a coupling, (indicated by l5.) The pipe 13 is connected to an air-supply tube 13, and the pipe 14 is supported in a can of Water. Two cans only are shown in Fig. 1 (marked 16) and may be supportedon the frame of the machine in any desired manner. I have indicated in Fig. 2 the preferred location of the atomizers for the several parts, except that for the belt D, which is shown in Fig. 1; but obviously the location of the several atomizers may be changed, if desired.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In a machine for seeding raisins, the combination with the seeding-rolls, of a feeding mechanism comprising an endless traveling belt onto which the raisins are delivered, a rot-ating paddle layer-regulator working above the belt, an inclined chute to deliver the raisins from the belt to the seeding-rolls, a roller` cooperating with the belt to Hatten the raisins before they are delivered to the chute, and means firmly supporting the belt at the point of engagement with the roller, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for seeding raisins, the combination with the seeding-rolls, one of which has circumferential rows of impalingpins, means to feed the fruit thereto and means to remove the expressed seeds, of a series of crescent-shaped strippers fitting between the rows of impaling-pins and each having a circular extension, a supporting-bar having a groove to receive the extensions, and a securing-bar completing the bearing for said extensions and removable to permit one or more of the strippers to be separately removed from the supporting-bar, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for seeding raisins, the combination with the devices for conveying the raisins to and pressing them on the pins of the pin-cylinder, of atomizers arranged in proximity to'said devices to supply moisture thereto, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH B. CROSBY. lVitnesses:

HENRY D. MoRToN, J AMES F. TILDEN. 

